The instant invention is directed to doffing apparatus for use with a loom take-up of the type having a pair of spaced drive rolls which support and drive the cloth roll during take-up.
Cloth rolls when employed with take-up apparatus of this type are usually positioned in front of the loom. The fabric usually passes beneath a work place platform and over an inspection frame prior to being wrapped onto the take up as a cloth roll. Because the take-up apparatus is spaced from the loom and is not constricted for space, it is possible to build the cloth roll to be very large, somewhere in the order of 2000 lbs, before doffing is necessary. Due to this large weight, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a single operator to doff the cloth roll. Accordingly, a mechanical doffing apparatus becomes most desirable.
Several attempts have been made in the past to provide a satisfactory doffing apparatus for a loom take-up mechanism. The doffing apparatus must be inexpensive to construct, it must be sturdy in order to work with the heavy weight of the cloth roll and it must not delay production when in use. U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,563 is directed to one attempt to provide a doffing apparatus capable of meeting this criteria. Here a doffing roll C is carried by arms 16 which are motivated by gears A and D. In order to doff cloth roll 12, the take-up drive must be reversed and roll C elevated to engage gears A and D which then move roll C across the drive roll 10 to doff the cloth roll. This doffing device is both expensive due to the use of gears and the structural strength necessary for the arms and doff roll. Also, production is interrupted during the reversal operation of the take-up apparatus.
The instant apparatus has as its object to provide doffing apparatus which satisfies the requirements set forth above.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is easy and convenient to use.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is light weight.
Another object of the invention is to provide doffing apparatus which is reliable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a doffing apparatus which does not interrupt the operation of the take-up mechanism.